Plural container package and method of making the same



19, 1963 J. R. CHAPMAN ETAL 3,111,221

PLURAL CONTAINER PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 13, 1959 INVENTORS omEs R. cHAPMA HELV/LLE 7T FARQV/MK Nov. 19, 1963 J, R. CHAPMAN ETAL 3,111,221

PLURAL CONTAINER PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 13, 1959 INVENTORS JAMES R. cflA P/M v Y MEL VILLE 7T FAR fi /MK 1953 J. R. CHAPMAN ETAL 3,111,221

PLURAL CONTAINER PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Nov. 13, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS JAMES R. C //A P/ I/W MEL l/ILLE 1T FAK WHAK wg/w United States Patent 3,111,221 PLURAL CONTAINER PACKAGE AND METIIGD OF MAKING THE SAME James R. Chapman, Milwaukee, Wis, and Melville T. Farquhar, Bon Air, Va., assi nors to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 852,666 16 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention is directed to a package, and method of making the same, which package has plurality of containers enclosed in a tough film, which may be transparent. The package is assembled in an improved manner, so that the package is attractive, dustproof, rigid, easily carried, economically assembled, and desirably appealing to the customer.

The package has a sleeve which preferably is transparent and cooperates with the containers in a manner to protect the ends of the containers against dust accumulation.

The sleeve also cooperates with an improved spacer between the containers, so a handle may be attached to, or form a part of, the spacer, and may extend out of one of the ends of the sleeve so the package may be conveniently and safely carried.

The spacer may additionally or alternatively have finger receiving holes so the package may be effectively handled or carried by placing the fingers in such holes.

Hence it is among the objects of this invention to provide a package, and method of producing the same, embodying one or more of the foregoing features and other important features yet to be described.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing the components of the package in partially unassembled positions.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the completely assembled package.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross section along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, on reduced scale, with a heating oven diagrammatically indicated around the package.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the improved spacer.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a blank from which the spacer of FIGURE 5 may be produced.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic top view of another embodiment of assembly of the package.

A package 10, embodying features of this invention, may include a plurality of containers, such as containers 11 to 16 inclusive. These containers may be of any suitable shape such as cylindrical or cylindraceous containers. For example, they may be cylindrical cans of aluminum containing material such as commercial aluminum or aluminum alloys, or the like. These containers may contain any desired substance, such as beer, other beverages, food, and the like. Each of these cans may have suitably shaped ends, such as circular ends 20 and 22, parallel to each other, and secured to the cylindrical sides 23 of the cans by suitable beads 24, as is well known in the art. Each of these containers may have a longitudinal axis 26, and the circular ends 20 and 22 may be perpendicular to these axes.

A plurality of these containers, such as the six containers 11 to 16 inclusive, may be assembled in any desired manner. For example, they may be assembled with their axes 26 substantially in parallel relationship, and in two adjacent parallel rows 39 and 31. These containers may be assembled with their ends 20 and 22 located respectively in two parallel planes. The axes 26 of the con- 3,111,221, Patented Nov. 19, 1963 ice tainers may be parallel to each other and perpendicular to the said two parallel planes.

Spacing means, such as the spacer 34, may be placed between the containers. This spacer may be placed between the rows 30 and 31 of the containers.

For example, the improved spacer 34 has a central web structure 36 with thickened edges 37 and 33 which have container receiving recesses 40 in such thickened edges 37 and 38 on opposite sides of the web structure 36. The recesses 4t? effectively and firmly receive and hold the two rows 30 and 31 of the containers against displacement in any direction, as will become more fully apparent. The edges of the recesses 46 preferably fit against the cylin drical sides 23 of the cans and against the adjacent portions of the beads 24, as best seen in FIGURE 2.

The sleeve 42 may be of sheet material, which may be attractively transparent. The sleeve tightly surrounds and holds the containers 11 to 16 inclusive within the package It). Preferably the sleeve 42 surrounds the containers with its central longitudinal axis 44 perpendicular to the axes 26 of the container. Preferably the sheet material is heat shrinkable, so the sleeve 42 may be heat shrunk tightly to surround the containers and the spacer. The ends 46 and 43 of the sleeve 42 are tightly drawn, as by the heat shrinking process to form a tight fit, as indicated at 46a in FIGURE 2 around the endmost containers I1, 13, 14 and 16. By this construction, the package 10 is rendered attractive, relatively dustproof, rigid, transparent, and very appealing to the customer.

It will be seen that the sleeve 42 cooperates with the containers or cans 11 to 16 inclusive in a manner to protect the ends it and 22 of the cans against dust accumulation, and the partial wrapping of the ends at 46:: likewise protects the container against dust accumulation.

In this manner the ends 24) and 22, in particular, are kept relatively clean and free from the usual dust accumulation which generally occurs while the containers are on display shelves or in storage. The sleeve 42 also cooperates with the spacer 34 in such a manner that a handle 54 may be attached to the spacer 34 and may extend out of the one end of the sleeve 42, such as the end 48, FIG- URES 3 and 4, which end is wrapped around the containers 13 and 14 in the same manner as the end 46a is wrapped around the containers 11 and 16, as shown in FIGURE 2.

Alternatively or additionally, the spacer 34 may have finger receiving openings 52 for carrying or handling purposes. If desired, the sleeve 42 may have openings 54 precut therein, so that these openings 54 will align with the openings 52 after the sleeve 42 has been placed over the container and contracted thereon. The openings 54 may be cut in the sleeve 42 after complete assembly, if desired. 7 V

The spacer 34 may be made from a single blank, as shown in FIGURE 6, in which the various parts are indicated by the numerals heretofore used in describing the folded and glued spacer shown in FIGURE 5.

In the various views, and in FIGURE 6 in particular, the finger receiving openings 52 are indicated as selectively placeable on the web 76, and/or on the webs 78 and 80, which are glued together to form a combined web. These openings can be placed on the top web 76 of the views in FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 5', or at the bottom Web 78, 39, if desired. Since the combined web 78 and 80 is formed of a double layer of material, this provides a more sturdy carrying combined web, and, to this extent, is preferred.

In FIGURE 6, the lines 68, 7t), 72 and 74, each of which occur twice, indicate score lines on which the blank is bent to form the construction shown in FIGURE 5, after which the webs 73 and 80 are glued together. When the containers are inserted in the recesses 40,

then the central web portions 56 and 58 are pushed together and hold the sides 23 of the containers slightly spaced from each other to compensate for the bead portions 24. The bead portions 24 of the cans or containers extend over and contact the web 76 and under and contact the web 78-80.

In connection with the description of this construction, it is to be understood words such as top, bottom, etc., are used as terms of descriptive convenience only, and that the web 75 may be at the bottom and the webs 78 and 80 may be at the top, or in any other position, during manufacture, storage and the like.

The handle indicated as 50 in FIGURES l, 3, 4, and is made up of two extensions 50a and 50b, which may be glued together or may be left unglued as desired. They may be integral with the web portions 56 and 58. They are provided with openings 580 for the reception of the users fingers. The handle 50 extends out through the contracted end 48 of the sleeve 42. If desired, the openings 54 in the sleeve 42 may be made to align with the openings 52 in either the web 76, and/or the webs 78 and 80, as the case may be.

The sleeve 42 may be made before the assembly of the package. The containers and spacer may be assembled outside of the sleeve, as indicated in FIGURE 1. Then the sleeve and/ or the assembled containers and spacer may be moved relatively toward each other, so the assembled containers and spacer are located in the sleeve 42. Thereafter the sleeve may be contracted, such as by heat shrinking it, to produce the finished package of FIGURES 2, 3, and 4. The heating may be done in an oven, diagrammatically indicated at 81 in FIGURE 4, or by a blast of hot air, not shown, or'the like. Alternatively, the sleeve 42 may be formed after the assembled containers and spacer have been placed on or adjacent the sleeve forming sheet 42a, of FIGURE 7, in which the assembled group of containers and spacer are indicated by the numeral 82. Thereafter the ends 84 and 86 of the sheet 42a may be folded around the container group 82 so the ends 84 and 86 overlap a sufficient distance, such as about one quarter of an inch at the meeting place, such as the narrow space adjacent end 86. The ends 84 and 86 may then be secured together with a solvent for the sheet material or by using an adhesive or by heat sealing, as desired. The overlap may take place directly over the center of the web '76 or 78, 80, or at the outer edges of the tops of the cans or along the sides of the cans, or at any other place desired. Thereafter the sleeve thus formed may be heat shrunk as previously described to produce the package heretofore described. The sleeve 42 of FIGURE 1 may be a pro-formed sleeve without a seam, or it may be a sleeve formed by folding a sheet with overlapping ends or edges, as desired, and preferably with the seam thus formed parallel to the central axis of the sleeve and directly over web 76 or alternatively under web 78, 80.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the sleeve 42 may be held by a suitable internal hollow mandrel. The assembly of containers and spacer may be supported on a cantilever platform and then may be telescoped within the sleeve 42. Thereafter the mandrel and cantilever platform may be removed, allowing the can and spacer assembly to rest on the inside of the wall of the sleeve 42. The sleeve 42 may then be shrunk by heat treatment or the like. The process of FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 7 may be performed by automatic machinery as is obvious. That is, the assembly of containers and of the spacer may be assembled by automatic machinery, and then the envelopment of this assembly by the sleeve 42 may also be produced by automatic machinery. Automatic machinery may heat the sleeve 42, as is obvious.

Merely by way of example, heat shrinkable sheet or film material for the sleeve 42 and 4242 may be a thermally stretched or oriented polyvinyl chloride film of 0.0005 inch thickness. This may be a medium molecular weight polyvinyl chloride film with a sufficient quantity of plasticizer and be of such a nature as to insure flexibility at 40 F. This film may be exposed to an ambient temperature of 370 or more for a suitable length of time so the film will attain a temperature of approximately 200 and can be made to shrink in dimensions as much as 70% The film should be strong enough to hold the product in package form, even if the package should be dropped in a manner to subject the film to impact loads.

Further examples of heat shrinkable films for the sleeve 42 and 42a are commercially known as Saran and Cryovac (polyvinyl chloride-polyvinylidiene chloride-acrylonitrile). Also such film may be made of polypropylene, cellulose acetate, and other formulations of polyvinyl chloride. Films known as Mylar, or of polystyrene may also be used.

The sleeve film may be manufactured in a tubular form, or a sheet may be wrapped or otherwise formed into a tube with overlapping edges which are sealed or secured together.

The overlapping edges may overlap about inch, more or less. The edges may be adhered together with cyclohexanon or other solvent of the film, by using an adhesive, or by heat sealing.

Suitable solvents for polyvinyl chloride film, to form the seam, are cyclohexanone, tetrahydrofuran and mesityl oxide, all of which can be used in commercially pure form or diluted with methyl ethyl ketone up to one part of solvent to five parts of methyl ethyl ketone.

The film can be wrapped around the group of cans so that the film is quite snug before shrinking or it can be left fairly loose, depending on the material and the banding method.

The spacer may be made of paperboard known as solid 22 point kraft, but other similar boards may be used. As the paperboard part is mainly a spacer and not much of it shows, it can be printed in one color only, or it may have some desired identification on it, leaving the can surfaces to carry advertising copy. This reduces the cost of the package to brewery or other packaging agency.

The spacer is particularly effective when the sleeve is placed around the assembly with the axis of the sleeve perpendicular to the axes of the containers, as illustrated in the drawings. The spacer is also effective if the sleeve axis is made parallel to the axes of the container, as the spacer cooperates with such last named sleeve in holding the package in a firm condition, and, if the finger receiving holes 52 are provided, the package is very easily carried or lifted during arrangement on display shelves and the like.

In addition to the shrinkable sheet materials heretofore described, and which preferably should be heat shrinkable in two mutually perpendicular directions, the sheet material of this invention may embody one or more of the features disclosed in any one or more of the following United States of America patents: Calvert, 1,989,632, January 29, 1935; McCoy, 2,168,651, August 18, 1939; Goodman, 2,420,310, May 13,1947; and Michel, 2,762,- 620, September 11, 1956.

Such sheet material preferably is heat shrinkable in two mutually perpendicular directions or in more than two directions, and is heat shrinkable at the temperatures required for the particular package being assembled. Likewise, it preferably is of the desired percent and speed of shrinkability, and of the desired strength for such package.

The sleeevs 42 and 42a, before shrinking, preferably are made sufficiently longer than the assembled containers 11-16 and the spacer 34 so that after the sleeves are shrunk to their maximum extent the ends 46 and 48 are wrapped around the endmost containers and also around the ends of the webs 76, 78 and 80 of the spacer 34 to secure the spacer 34 firmly within the sleeve.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A spacer for a double row of containers having cylindraceous sides and opposed beads comprising a central web structure with thickened edges which have container receiving recesses on opposite sides of said web structure and respectively passing transversely through said thickened edges, said recesses each being defined by an arcuate surface which is only adapted to engage less than half the circumference of the side of a container received therein with the thickened edges being adapted to respectively engage the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said containers can be moved outwardly from said spacer but not axially relative thereto.

2. A spacer according to claim 1 in which said central web structure has a handle extending longitudinally therefrom.

3. A spacer according to claim 1 in which one of said thickened edges has finger receiving openings.

4. A spacer for a double row of containers having cylindraceous side and opposed beads comprising a pair of sheets adjacent each other at a continuous central fiat web portion, said sheets being outwardly and oppositely bulged away from each other at the edges with container receiving recesses formed in said edges and respectively passing transversely through said edges, said recesses each being defined by an arcuate surface which is only adapted to engage less than half the circumference of the side of a container received therein with the edges being adapted to respectively engage the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said containers can be moved outwardly from said spacer but not axially relative thereto.

5. A spacer for a double row of containers having cylindraceous sides and opposed beads comprising a pair of sheets adjacent each other at a continuous central flat web portion, said sheets being outwardly and oppositely bent and inclined and then being inwardly bent and secured to each other to form longitudinal bulges at the edges, said bulges having container receiving recesses passing transversely through said bulges, said recesses each being defined by an arcuate surface which is only adapted to engage less than half the circumference of the side of a container received therein with the bulges being adapted to respectively engage the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said containers can be moved outwardly from said spacer but not axially relative thereto.

6. A spacer for a double row of containers having cylindraceous sides and opposed beads comprising a pair of sheets adjacent each other at a continuous central flat web portion, said sheets being outwardly and oppositely bent and inclined and then being inwardly bent, overlapped and glued to each other at one edge to form longitudinal bulges at the edges, said bulges being cut at a plurality of places to form container receiving recesses passing transversely through said bulges, said recesses each being refined by an arcuate surface which is only adapted to engage less than half the circumference of the side of a container received therein with the bulges being adapted to respectively engage the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said containers can be moved outwardly from said spacer but not axially relative thereto.

7. A spacer for a double row of containers having cylindraceous sides and opposed beads comprising a central web structure with thickened edges, said thickened edges having container receiving recesses on opposite sides of said web structure and respectively passing transversely through said thickened edges, said recesses each being defined by an arcuate surface which is only adapted to engage less than half the circumference of the side of a container received therein with the thickened edges being adapted to respectively engage the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said containers can be moved 6 outwardly from said spacer but not axially relative thereto, said spacer having grasping means.

8. A spacer as set forth in claim 7 wherein said grasping means comprises a handle extending from one end of said central web structure. I V

9. A spacer as set forth in claim 7 wherein said grasping means comprises a plurality of cavities interrupting one of said thickened edges of said spacer.

10. A package comprising: a plurality of cylindraceous containers having opposed beads each having a longitudinal axis and assembled into a plurality of adjacent rows with the axes of said containers in substantially parallel relationship; a spacer between said rows having a central web structure with thickened edges which have container receiving recesses on opposite sides of said web structure to receive said containers, said recesses respectively passing transversely through said thickened edges, said recesses each being defined by an arcuate surface which only engages less than half the circumference of the side of a container received therein with the thickened edges engaging the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said container can be moved outwardly from such spacer but not axially relative thereto, and a sleeve of sheet material tightly surrounding said containers.

11. A package comprising: a plurality of cylindraceous containers having opposed beads each having a longitudinal axis and assembled into a plurality of adjacent rows with the axes of said containers in substantially parallel relationship; a spacer between said rows, said spacer having a pair of sheets adjacent each other at a continuous central fiat web portion, said sheets being outwardly and 0p positely bulged away from each other at the edges with container receiving recesses formed in said edges for receiving said containers, said recesses respectively passing through said edges, said recesses each being defined by an arcuate surface which only engages less than half the circurnference of the side of a container received therein with the edges engaging the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said containers can be moved outwardly from said spacer but not axially relative thereto; and a sleeve of sheet material tightly surrounding said containers.

12. A package comprising: a plurality of cylindraceous containers having opposed beads each having a longitudinal axis and assembled into a plurality of adjacent rows with the axes of said containers in substantially parallel relationship; a spacer between said rows, said spacer having a pair of sheets adjacent each other at a continuous central flat we'b portion, said sheets being outwardly and oppositely bent and inclined and then being inwardly bent and secured to each other to form longitudinal bulges at the edges, said bulges having container receiving recesses respectively passing transversely through said bulges; said recesses each being defined by an arcuate surface which only engages less than half the circumference of the side of a container received therein with the bulges engaging the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said containers can be moved outwardly from said spacer but not axially relative thereto and a sleeve of sheet material tightly surrounding said containers.

13. A package comprising: a plurality of cylindraceous containers having opposed beads each having a longitudinal axis and assembled into a plurality of adjacent rows with the axes of said containers in substantially parallel relationship; a spacer between said rows, said spacer having a pair of sheets adjacent each other at a continuous central flat web portion, said sheets being outwardly and oppositely bent and inclined and then being inwardly bent, overlapped and glued to each other at one edge to form longitudinal bulges at the edges, said bulges being cut at a plurality of places to form container receiving recesses respectively passing transversely through said bulges; said recesses each being defined by an arcuate surface which only engages less than half the circumference of the side of the container received therein with the bulges engaging the undersurfaces of the opposed beads whereby said containers can be moved outwardly from said spacer but not axially relative thereto and a sleeve of sheet material tightly surrounding said containers.

14. A package comprising: a plurality of cylindraceous containers each having a longitudinal axis and assembled into a plurality of adjacent rows with the axes of said containers in substantially parallel relationship; a spacer between said rows and having grasping means; and a sleeve of heat shrinkable sheet material tightly surrounding said containers with its axis perpendicular to said axes of said containers and with the ends of said sleeve drawn inwardly around the endmost containers around the entire peripheries of said ends of said sleeve.

15. A package as set forth in claim 14 wherein said grasping means comprises a handle projecting through one of said ends of said sleeve.

16. A package as set forth in claim 14 wherein said sleeve has openings therein and said grasping means comprises a plurality of openings in said spacer which are aligned with said openings in said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,650,051 Smith Nov. 22, 1927 2,342,977 Snyder Feb. 29, 1944 2,505,399 Hilton Apr. 25, 1950 2,667,995 Bruce et a1. Feb. 2, 1954 2,668,403 Rumsey Feb. 9, 1954 2,680,039 Burge June 1, 1954 I 2,788,894 Shifrer Apr. 16, 1957 2,818,171 Andre Dec. 31, 1957 2,821,299 Crary Jan. 28, 1958' 2,878,628 Curry Mar. 24, 1959 2,936,069 Dunning May 10, 1960 

10. A PACKAGE COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF CYLINDRACEOUS CONTAINERS HAVING OPPOSED BEADS EACH HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND ASSEMBLED INTO A PLURALITY OF ADJACENT ROWS WITH THE AXES OF SAID CONTAINERS IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP; A SPACER BETWEEN SAID ROWS HAVING A CENTRAL WEB STRUCTURE WITH THICKENED EDGES WHICH HAVE CONTAINER RECEIVING RECESSES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID WEB STRUCTURE TO RECEIVE SAID CONTAINERS, SAID RECESSES RESPECTIVELY PASSING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID THICKENED EDGES, SAID RECESSES EACH BEING DEFINED BY AN ARCUATE SURFACE WHICH ONLY ENGAGES LESS THAN HALF THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE SIDE OF A CONTAINER RECEIVED THEREIN WITH THE THICKENED EDGES ENGAGING THE UNDERSURFACES OF THE OPPOSED BEADS WHEREBY SAID CONTAINER CAN BE MOVED OUTWARDLY FROM SUCH SPACER BUT NOT AXIALLY RELATIVE THERETO, AND A SLEEVE OF SHEET MATERIAL TIGHTLY SURROUNDING SAID CONTAINERS. 